WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Just brought a box of old River pictures home from the River place.

76 Hondo

76 Hondo
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Labor Day 1971 dock is at the Arizona Shores Motel, Gene and Toby’s that skinny guy is still my best friend but he tips the scales at about 350 now
 

76 Hondo

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First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep😜
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s.
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boatdoc55

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First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep😜
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s. View attachment 1152435
I thought I recognized those couple of pics from WW. I don't know how you got that spot under the tree. I thought our group had dibbs on it all summer. I've got a pic of one of my best friends daughter sitting up in the tree pouting that she didn't get her way on something. She sat up there all fricking day until dark and then was too scared to stay up there into the night.
Good times were had in those years, 79- 85 I think, until the injuns through us out.
 

76 Hondo

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I thought I recognized those couple of pics from WW. I don't know how you got that spot under the tree. I thought our group had dibbs on it all summer. I've got a pic of one of my best friends daughter sitting up in the tree pouting that she didn't get her way on something. She sat up there all fricking day until dark and then was too scared to stay up there into the night.
Good times were had in those years, 79- 85 I think, until the injuns through us out.
My group had the 4 spots around the big tree from 76 or so until they did away with water from spots, then we moved up to 4 spots in the new front. Stayed until 91, when they went all mobiles no camping.
Moved to Lost Lake and now dealing with the Indian BS there 😡
 

hman442

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Great pictures, I'm sure they were great times
 

Backlash

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Awesome thread!! Please post up some more pictures when you have a chance!!
 

TCHB

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I remember these days with our van and 18ft Sanger. Good times!
 

RIVERMANBEN

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First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep😜
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s. View attachment 1152435
Is that a 427 Cammer !! Awesome pictures and that hydro is freaking rad!!!!!
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Is that the “ Putting On The Ritz” hydro at Water Wheel? I remember seeing you at waterwheel back in the day. I remember one time you showed up in a limo. Fond memories of the lower river and water skiing and barefooting our brains out. Wish I could find all my old river pics.
 

RIVERMANBEN

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Is that the “ Putting On The Ritz” hydro at Water Wheel? I remember seeing you at waterwheel back in the day. I remember one time you showed up in a limo. Fond memories of the lower river and water skiing and barefooting our brains out. Wish I could find all my old river pics.
Sorry the reply was for @76 Hondo
 

74 spectra20 v-drive

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This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:
  • Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

  • Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram :) It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.


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lenmann

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This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:
  • Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

  • Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram :) It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.


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Yikes, is the bent rudder related to the fire or just ornamentation?
 

Wheeler

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This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:
  • Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

  • Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram :) It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.


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Great pix! Thanks for posting them!
 

Wheeler

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old rigger

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This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:
  • Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

  • Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram :) It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.


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Cool stuff! From the pic I'd swear that Howard has a wood deck?

This is the shop, rather a cluster of shops, where that Howard was built. Would love to have that '62 hard top.

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A view from the rear of the property looking towards Lakewood Blvd. Sorry, not shots of Howard little shop but it would have been on the left side of the pic. To the right, Genes mufflers, an old friend of my dad owned it. He was a Bellflower guy, Keith christensen, my dad a Hollydale guy. As kids when ride out bikes here and just hang out, watch the muffler shop install Bellflower exhaust on the cars, go in the front building and dream of someday buying a set of reversed chrome wheels. hahaha much simpler time.
Keith retired decades ago to Havasu. Last talked with him maybe 4-5 years ago and bought some of his t shirts. Hope he's ok.
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74 spectra20 v-drive

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That rudder was a different event, underwater tree stump but same boat :) I forgot my Dad had that tucked in there. The Howard does have a Wood Deck, my reference to glass was that the bottom was a glass boat not a wood hull.

My Dad stopped going to Parker in the early 70's just too many people, Hot and they discovered Kings River in 71' and really never went anyplace else. My first memory of Parker was in 84' or 85' 7th grade I believe. We made an October trip there and my mind was blown...first there was water (if you know Kings River you get that comment) and holy shit this place is huge. I know my Mom has a ton of river picks from the 50's and 60's but I cant locate them...

Attached is a pic of my Dad's Cracker Box, this was a Champion Hull but he and My Uncle Walt built the Mahogany deck. It's got a 401 Nail Head, he told me that the air scoop held down the top of that deck, pull the scoop and that raised portion lifted off to gain access to the engine. This was probably of the last trips with the Cracker as he went in Partners with his buddy on the SpitFire and he needed a family boat :) in 65' he had 5 kids and two more were coming, look close at the picture and you can see two of my siblings are stuffed in that Crake., our flat bottom was a kick ass family boat and a lot more room that than Steam Pot had.


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Havazoo

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Cool stuff! From the pic I'd swear that Howard has a wood deck?

This is the shop, rather a cluster of shops, where that Howard was built. Would love to have that '62 hard top.

View attachment 1210483
A view from the rear of the property looking towards Lakewood Blvd. Sorry, not shots of Howard little shop but it would have been on the left side of the pic. To the right, Genes mufflers, an old friend of my dad owned it. He was a Bellflower guy, Keith christensen, my dad a Hollydale guy. As kids when ride out bikes here and just hang out, watch the muffler shop install Bellflower exhaust on the cars, go in the front building and dream of someday buying a set of reversed chrome wheels. hahaha much simpler time.
Keith retired decades ago to Havasu. Last talked with him maybe 4-5 years ago and bought some of his t shirts. Hope he's ok.
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Had my first car lowered, exhaust, wheels, paint work and pin striping, all in that parking lot. Spend many of weekends there. Had to be there by 7:00am or you were too late.... Yes that was an easier time but just as fun, lol
 

old rigger

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Had my first car lowered, exhaust, wheels, paint work and pin striping, all in that parking lot. Spend many of weekends there. Had to be there by 7:00am or you were too late.... Yes that was an easier time but just as fun, lol

My dad took moms brand new '69 Eldorado down to Keith and had bellflower tips installed then they attempted to tackle the task of lowering the front wheel drive beast. I think the geometry of the front end would have been a mess and they never actually lowered it. Mom hated the bellflower's so they were moved under the bumper.

Bellflower's on a '65 Rivi, just in case someone might actually be unaware of what they look like.

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And where dad had to move them too, Allen Duke's legendary '64 Impala. Man was mom pissed when she found out about them wanting to lower her car. hahaha

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74 spectra20 v-drive

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Those Rivi's have always been a favorite of mine, just a beautiful car and the Impala is a sweet ride.... is that Bellflower or Lakewood?
 

old rigger

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Those Rivi's have always been a favorite of mine, just a beautiful car and the Impala is a sweet ride.... is that Bellflower or Lakewood?

I know he was from Wilmington, but don't know where the pics were shot. House's look like LKWD, Long Beach and Bellflower homes. In fact our garage in LB looks just like that one with that extra 3 or 4 feet off to one side.

My buddy's '64
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and my old '63 that I should have kept. All original, paint, black leather interior and so on.

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